Fatal Attraction
by Attenia
Summary: At first, Arthur thinks the worst he will have to withstand is endless longing, endless wanting of Merlin. But when he finds out that the feeling is mutual, he realises that Merlin's attraction to him could be fatal. Merthur. Happy ending.


Arthur watches Merlin out of the corner of his eye. Merlin sees him watching and grins before going back to cleaning Arthur's armour. Arthur debates making it easy for him and leaving the room so that Merlin can just use magic to get it done, but decides that Merlin could do with the hard work after all the pain he's been causing Arthur.

Like when he brushes his fingers against Arthur's shoulder while buckling his armour, without even realising it, or when his mouth stretches around a particularly big piece of food and all Arthur can think about is his _lips._ Or when he smiles in that way when he doesn't think Arthur is looking, or when he frowns in concentration over one of his chores and his brow does that puckering thing that makes Arthur's hands shake for wanting to smooth it out.

Arthur tries to get a grip on himself. He's the future king of Camelot, he can't go feeling this way about his _servant_. Perhaps, if it was just attraction, they could just screw and Arthur would get over it, but it's so much more than that. Some days he can't breathe for fear that Merlin will accidentally reveal himself to Uther, that he will have to stand helpless and watch him executed.

But Arthur doesn't know how much longer he can go on like this. Even now, his hands itch, longing to run through Merlin's hair. Arthur feels his cock rising just thinking about what he would like to do with him…

Knowing he can't be trusted in the room with Merlin much longer, he throws his boot at him. "Go muck out my horse's stable!" he says. Merlin moans and complains, and Arthur can hardly hold himself still until the temptation is out of his sight. Then he starts to pace.

He finds himself making justifications as to why it would be alright to pounce on Merlin when he gets back and kiss him until he's dizzy. As usual, Arthur beats himself back. Merlin would push him away in disgust – or worse, Merlin would grin and bear it, willing to suffer any discomfort to give Arthur what he wants.

Days go on, and Arthur manages to hold himself back, trying to convince himself that he can be content just to have Merlin with him, safe and happy.

Until one day, Merlin doesn't show up for work.

Arthur doesn't think anything of it at first. After a few hours, he starts to worry, he asks Gaius, who tells him that Merlin has gone collecting herbs for him. Arthur sighs in relief. If Gaius had said the tavern, who knows where Merlin would be, battling who knows what with his illegal magic. At least Arthur knows.

He waits and worries a few more hours before giving in and getting together a search party. As darkness falls, it starts to rain and Arthur starts to get desperate. Merlin is too thick to use magic to save himself, not unless Arthur's life is on the line as well. The men are wet and miserable, but not one of them suggests they go back, whether because they care about Merlin that much or they know Arthur is so on edge he may well run through anyone who even suggests abandoning Merlin, he doesn't know.

Finally, as dark, panicky thoughts are swirling in Arthur's mind, there is a shout. Leon comes riding swiftly towards him, a body draped over his saddle.

For a second Arthur's vision goes blank and a wave of dizziness hits him.

"He's fine," Leon says.

Arthur's heart starts beating again.

"It looks like he just tripped and hit his head," Leon says. "He's been passed out for a while in the rain – we should get him to Gaius."

Part of Arthur wants to grab Merlin and put him on his own horse, to hold him close and protect him, but if he does that he doesn't think he can control himself, doesn't think he can stop from yelling at Merlin and begging him to be alright.

He quickly leads the knights back to Camelot and before long, Merlin is resting comfortably in Gaius' chambers. Once he sees that he is settled, Arthur goes back to his chambers and falls into bed. He is haunted by nightmares of Merlin's cold, dead body.

The next day, he gets up, meaning to go to Gaius' chambers and check on Merlin, but before he is even out of the door, Merlin breezes in with a breakfast tray. Seeing him safe and healthy brings such a powerful wave of relief through Arthur, something snaps inside him.

The breakfast tray clatters to the floor and Merlin's back hits the door as Arthur attacks him with his mouth.

He is bracing for whatever Merlin brings – the disgust or the martyred acceptance – but he is not ready for Merlin's reaction. Merlin gasps and seems to melt into his grasp, his arms clutching at Arthur's shoulders, his mouth falling open, inviting Arthur in.

Arthur lets out a helpless moan and presses himself against Merlin, shuddering. He breaks away to kiss all the way down Merlin's neck, his fingers clutching at every piece of exposed skin.

"Oh – yes – Arthur!" Merlin yells as Arthur mouths his cock through the damp fabric of his breeches. All of a sudden, their clothes disappear. Just like that, they are strewn all over the floor.

Arthur tries to pause in shock, but his body is out of control. He swallows Merlin's cock, taking him deep into the back of his throat.

"Ahh – yes, please…" Merlin mumbles, his hands tangling in Arthur's hair and pulling tightly with every suck. Arthur brings his hand up to circle Merlin's hole, and this is too much for Merlin. With a shout, he is coming down Arthur's throat, jerking and moaning. The torches flare up so brightly that for a second, Arthur has to close his eyes, and when he opens them, Merlin is leaning against the door, panting.

"Come here," he says, his eyes flashing gold, and suddenly they are on the bed, Arthur two seconds away from begging Merlin, his cock aching and throbbing.

Then his mind catches up with his body and he jerks away. Merlin sits up, looking confused and hurt. Arthur leaps off the bed before Merlin can get any closer and overwhelm his better judgement.

"What is it?" Merlin asks.

Arthur tries to speak, but the words choke him. Merlin's eyes glow as the pillows start levitating, and Arthur forces himself to say the words. "I'm sorry, Merlin, but this was a mistake. It was my fault. You may go now."

He turns away, not willing to see the expression on Merlin's face. His cock has already deflated with the realisation of what he's doing to Merlin. Merlin was so gone he didn't even know he was using magic. What if one of the servants had walked in? What if Uther had?

Even if no one ever walked in, Arthur couldn't do anything that would make Merlin lose control of his magic. It was too dangerous. He wouldn't see Merlin burn… even if staying away after this killed him.

Arthur thought that would be an end to it. He was ready for Merlin's hurt, and as much as it hurt him, it was better than Merlin being dead. He had time to win back Merlin's trust, even if friendship was all they ever had – all they could ever have.

But that wasn't the end. Merlin was hurt and confused, but Arthur was prepared to deal with that with kindness and understanding – two things he rarely sampled, but he would do it for Merlin – but he wasn't prepared for the after effects of their little encounter.

He first notices, of course, when Merlin is helping dress him. Merlin's fingers brush against his skin and Arthur feels a flash of heat. The window bursts open of its own accord. Merlin keeps going. He doesn't notice anything.

It keeps getting worse. Clearly, just being around Arthur is too much for Merlin. It's all his fault, if he hadn't kissed Merlin, maybe he would be safe. But now magic was bursting from him whenever he interacted with Arthur – sometimes just from seeing Arthur after a long day, his eyes would light up and a flower would suddenly blossom behind him.

Arthur takes to hiding from Merlin, terrified that he will accidentally out himself as a sorcerer to Uther. He knows he has to do something. It was all well and good when his attraction to Merlin was making him miserable. Merlin's attraction to him could be fatal.

Of course, the most sensible thing to do would be to send Merlin away – but Arthur feels like his heart is shrivelling even thinking of it. So he resolves to go to Gaius.

He tells Merlin to muck out the whole stable – earning him a murderous glare – and assigns one stable hand to help him so that Merlin can't use magic and be done too quickly.

Arthur skulks until he is well gone, then hurries off to Gaius.

"I need your help," he says, striding in, his words coming out more desperate than he intended.

"What is it, Sire?"

"Um." Arthur hadn't thought about how to phrase his request. "I need – sort of an anti-lust potion, I guess. Something to stop someone being attracted to someone else."

Gaius frowns. "For yourself, Sire?"

"Um, no, someone else…"

Gaius takes down a few vials and some herbs. "Well, I could probably make something up, but I'd need the participation of both people – the one on the receiving end of the attraction and the giving."

"Uh, that's not going to work."

"Why not?"

Arthur opens his mouth to make something up, but Gaius is looking all kind and concerned, and Arthur has been bottling up all his worry for so long, that it just spills out. He tells Gaius everything.

"And if I don't do something, my father will find out he has magic and burn him and then I – I – " Arthur chokes off his increasingly panicky words. Gaius is looking at him with such fatherly understanding that Arthur almost believes he'll come up with some magical solution to fix this.

Before Gaius can say a word, Merlin comes hurtling through the door. Arthur jumps back automatically. Merlin can't get too close to him, he'll do magic without meaning to…

Merlin is staring at Arthur with an expression torn between wonder and exasperation on his face. "Your prat," he whispers. "You stupid, stupid clotpole. He advances on Arthur, a hungry look in his eyes. Arthur backs away, alarmed. "No, Merlin, we can't – "

"Because I may accidentally out myself as a sorcerer," Merlin finishes, still advancing. Arthur gapes at him. "But – you were in the stables – I made sure you were…"

"Prat," Merlin says again. "Did you really think I'd ever leave you all alone? What if magical beast came and snatched you away? What if an infiltrator tried to hurt you?"

"I don't understand."

"I've spelled and installed listening charms all over the palace," Merlin says. "I can hear anything that goes on here, whenever I want. When I'm away from you, I'm always listening to what's going on around you. You really are helpless without me, you know."

Then he is on Arthur, kissing him roughly, holding him so tightly Arthur couldn't pull away if he wanted to.

"We can't," Arthur manages to get in between kisses. "My father – your magic – "

"We'll work it out," Merlin says, his fingers doing things that make Arthur lose all grip on logical thought. "Now that I know, I can watch for it. And you can tell me when I'm doing it. I don't always get things right on the first try, you know. Sometimes it takes lots of practice."

Somewhere along the line, Gaius had discretely exited the room.

"I thought you didn't want me," Merlin murmurs.

"Merlin." Arthur's head is spinning and his body is seconds away from taking control over his mind, but he has to make it clear first. "I don't just want you. Even if I could never touch you again – I – it's… crap, I was never good at this," he mutters, wishing for the first time in his life for Morgana. Merlin is kissing his neck and Arthur is seconds away from losing his ability to speak coherently.

"I love you," he blurts out."

"I've loved you longer," Merlin murmurs without missing a beat.

Arthur opens his mouth to argue but then Merlin's tongue is filling his mouth and he decides it's an argument they can settle another time.

He grabs Merlin's slim hips and lifts him up, laying him spread out on one of Gaius' examination tables. He lifts his eyebrows questioningly.

Merlin smiles up at him with nothing but love and trust in his eyes. "Take me, I'm yours."

Arthur grabs for a vial of oil and leans down for a kiss as he coats his fingers in it. Merlin shudders beneath him and tilts his bottom upwards. Arthur's fingers trail around his hole and Merlin gasps, pushing himself onto Arthur's fingers.

Arthur moans and grinds his body down so that their cocks are brushing together – somewhere along the way their clothes have disappeared. Merlin lies on his back, his legs spread wantonly, his face flushed and panting as Arthur presses first one, then two fingers into him.

As he curls them inwards, he brushes against Merlin's prostate and Merlin yells and bucks into him at the same time as one of Gaius' bottles explodes. Arthur doesn't care. All he can think about is how tight Merlin is, how his greedy arse is sucking in his fingers, clenching around them.

"Now, your prat," Merlin moans.

With great difficulty, Arthur ignores him, slipping another finger in. Merlin makes it very difficult, the way he writhes and makes those beautiful noises, the way their cocks brush together when Merlin arches.

"I don't want to hurt you," Arthur grits out.

"Don't care," Merlin gasps. "Need you."

"I care," Arthur mutters, clenching his free hand on the table, trying for control. After he gets to four fingers, he deems Merlin ready and lines his cock up with Merlin's hole.

When he presses in he thinks he's going to come and once and has to pause, fighting to control himself. Merlin, the little bastard, _wriggles_ and moans, impaling himself further on Arthur's cock. Arthur tries to go slowly, but Merlin is begging and his cock is being swallowed by tight heat and Arthur can't think anymore.

He grabs Merlin's cock as he begins to thrust deeply, using one hand to hold Merlin's hips down as they stutter. Arthur thinks he's moaning or shouting, and that may be the sound of more bottles exploding, but he doesn't care.

Merlin's eyes glow and the whole table lifts from the floor as he comes. Arthur bites down on his shoulder for two more strokes before he is coming too, Merlin's name spilling from his lips as he clutches to the thin, hot body beneath him, riding out his orgasm.

He collapses next to a boneless Merlin – and nearly falls off the edge of the table, but the next thing he knows, they are both in Merlin's bedroom, sprawled together on his too small bed. Arthur can see the chaos that is Gaius' workroom through the open door.

Merlin sighs contentedly, snuggling up to Arthur, his arms and legs snaking around him like some giant octopus.

"We'll need to sort out that room before Gaius gets back," Arthur says.

"Ok," Merlin says happily, smiling into Arthur's shoulder.

"And we need to get you a bigger bed. I'm not lying on this tiny thing, and I'm not unleashing you on my chambers until you've stopped shattering things."

"Ok," Merlin repeats, nuzzling Arthur's neck.

"We can do this, right?"

Merlin opens his beautiful eyes and stares straight at Arthur. "We can do it. After all, they say that practice makes perfect." He leans in for a kiss, a smile still on his lips.

The End

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